Fastening inserting machine



Jan. 5, 1932. F. MACKENZIE I 1,839,238v

FASTENING INSERTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1931 3 SheetsShee"o 1 AWE/Wag.

Jan. 5 1932. F. L. MACKENZIE FASTENING INSERTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1931 s Sheets-Sheet 2 M/N VE/VTU/l s l ra MM Jan 5, 1932.

F. L MACKENZ IE FASTENING EM SERTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet .3

8 u u 1111i, F, ,4; nu M1 Patented Jan. 5, 1932 l warren stares PATE TQ oFFICfE l FRED n. MACKENZIE, or BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, Alssieiron 'IO nnirnio 'snon' MACHINERY oonronerron, or, rATERso v, new JERSEY, A oonronA'rIonoF NEW JERSEY V FASTENING insnn'rinq MACHINE' it Application filed January 21,1931. Serial No. 51o, 2s0.',

This invention relates to mechanisms for controlling the lengths of fastenings inaccordance with th'e'thicknesslof the work: in which they are inserted and is illustrated herein as embodied in'a staple lasting machine.

' Not only do workpieces which are secured together by fastenings vary in thicknessbut it has been found that frequently there isa substantial variation in thickness between different'portions of the same. workpiece. Accordingly, it is desirable and in some cases necessary'to vary the, length of each fasten-.

ing in accordance with the thickness of the work into which the fastening'is to be inserted; t p

v In view of the above it is anobje'ct'of the present invention to provide improved. means for automatically controlling V the length: of each fastening in accordance with the thickness of the work piece into which thefastening is to be inserted." V v I The illustrated machine, which includes a preferred embodiment of my invention, is of the general type disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,291 754, granted January 21, 1919 on an application filed in the name of Matthias Brock, and is provided with a work support which is raisedto clamp the work against an abutment during the fasten ing inserting operation and is then lowered to permit the work'to be removed Wire feed ing and severing mechanism 'is provided mounted on a carrier which 'is' adapted to be moved toward and from the staple forming instrumentalities of the machine to cause the severing mechanism: to cut off pieces of wire of'different lengths and thereby to vary the lengths of the staples which are formed. The extent of movement of thewire. feeding mechanism is governed by the position of said carrier relatively to the staple formers so that said feeding mechanism will feed the wire varying distances to cause the center of the severed pieces of wire to rest upon the inside former which comprises one of the T staple forming instrumentalities. Preferably and as shown, the carrier on which is mountedthe wire feeding and severing mechanism is moved toward the staple formingin'strumen talities of the machine; as the work support ismoved into work clamping position and is yieldingly' moved away from said forming instrumentalit-ies as the work supportis lowered, As illustrated, and in accordance with ing the carrier toward the staple forming ininto work clamping position includes a'bell crank lever arranged to cooperate with an adjustable-member carried by the work support to insure the correct positioning of the carrier a a feature of my invention, the means for mov- .strumentalities as the work support is moved 7 relatively to the staple forming instrumentalities in accordance with the thickness of a workpiece. The bell crank lever is pivoted in the head of the machine and is provided with an upwardly extending arm connected to the carrier-and a laterally'extending arm which lies in the path of movement of the adjustable member carried'by the work support the construction and arrangement being such that as the'work support is moved upwardly-to clampthe work the bell crank'lever is rocked through agreater or less angle ac cording-to the position of the work support tocontrol the length of a'fastening. With the above and other objects and features in view the invention will now be desoribed inconnection with the accompanying drawingsand pointed out in the claims.

, In the} drawings,

' Fig.1 isaside elevation of a fastening inserting machine embodying the presentinvention Fig. 2 isa front elevation of the headof the machine shown in Fig. 1; and

"Fig.3is an elevation on an enlarged scale which isoperative to insert: fastenings in a work piece maintained upon a worksupport which i's'raise'd to clamp the work against. an abutmlentduring' the fastening inserting operation; the said staple forming and inserting mechanism being-.preferablmthough not necessarilv,' of the type disclosed in Letters 'Patentof the United States No. 1,016,930,

bar 20 carrying a driver 22 is moved upwardly by means of a lifting cam 24 which engages a block 26 carried by the driver bar 20. A

spring 28 anchored at one end to a station-.

ary part of the head of the machine and connected at the other end by a link 30 with the driver bar 20 forces the driver bar 20 and driver 22 downwardly as the cam 24 passes out from under the block 26, thus driving a fastening into the work, and is compressed as the cam 24lifts the driver bar 20. The work support 14 is of the type disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,291,754; granted January 21, 1919 on an application filed "in ,the. name of j Matthias Brock, and is operated directly from a treadle 32 and also by power means includinga cam 34 on the cam shaft .16 and connections to wedges one of-which is shown at 36 in Fig. 1, arranged to operateupon rolls 38 carried by the work support 14 in the manner fully disclosed in said patent to Brock.

Thewire 40 which forms the staples is fed to the staple forming mechanism from a reel 42 by means of afeed roll 44 in substantially the same manner as in the machine shown in Patent No. 1,016,930-to WV. I-I'. Borden, andziscut by cutting mechanism of substantially the same construction as in the machine shown in said Letters Patent to KY. H. Borden. The'release of the wire for the re turn, movement of the feed roll 44 is effected during the cutting operation by the action of a plunger 46 which engages an adjustable stop 48 on a lever 50 which carries a co-operating presser roll. In order that staples of different lengths maybe formedthe wire severing mechanism is mounted, on a carrier 54 which is movable horizontally toward and from the staple forming instrumentalities of the machine, and for insuring that both legs of the staple will be of the same length the degree of movement of the wire feeding mechanism is governed by the position of the carrier 54 relatively to the staple form ing instrumentalities so that the wire will be fed varying distances to cause the center of the severed piece of wire to rest upon the inside former. The carrier 54 is slidably mounted on stationary rods 56, 58(Fig. 1) fastened to the head 12 of the machine and when said carrieris moved to the left, as viewed inFig. 2, be carried .awayjfrom the inside former and a-longer piece of wire will be cut, the degree of movement, of the feeding mechanism being simultaneously automatically increased to feed more wireso that the center of the severedpiece, of wirewill rest upon the inside the cutting mechanism will former and thus insure both legs of the staple being of the same length. When the carrier 54 is moved to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, the severing mechanism will be brought nearer to the inside former and a shorter piece of wire will be cut, the degree of movement of the wire feeding mechanism being simultaneously automatically decreased to feed less wire. The feed roll 44 is mounted on the end of an oscillating shaft 60 (Fig.2) supported in the carrier 54 and operated by means of a lever 62 fulcrumed on a stud 64 I on the carrier 54 and having at its lower end segment 66 which meshes with a gear 68 fastened to the feed roll shaft. The lever 62 isprovided at its upper en d with a slot 70 which receives a roll 7 2 fastened to an arm 74 and is connected to a rock shaft 7 6 mounted in bearings 78 on the head of the machine and fastened tosaid shaft is a second arm 80 provided with a roll 82 which travels in a groove 84in the cam block 85.

The severing'mechanism comprises a stationary cutter 86 fastened to the carrier 54 by aclamping plate 88 and a movable cutter 90 fastened bya clamp 92 to a cutter carrier bar 94 which is provided with a hook-shaped end 96 to engage an Lshaped piece 98 on an actuator bar 100. The actuator bar 100 is slidably mounted in a guideway in the head of the machine and is provided with rolls 102, 102which co-onerate with a cam 104 on the cam shaft 16. Rotation of the cam 104 is operative to move the actuator bar 100 and consequently the cutter. bar positively in both directions, the connections between the actuator bar and the cutter bar being such that the cutter bar is permitted to move laterally with the carrier 54 in which it is mounted.

From the foregoing it will be readily seen that since the rock shaft 76 is mounted in the head of the machine the extent of movement of the arm 7 4 will be uniform with each cycle of operations of the machine and, as the lever 62 is fulcrumed on the carrier 54, moveinentof said carrier toward and from the staple forming and inserting instrumentalities of the machine will change the relation of the stud 64 to the path of movement of the roller 72. Consequently, the degree of movement of the arm 62 and the feed roll 44 will vary in accordance with the position of the carrier 54 so that the wire will. be fed for varying distances to cause the center of the severed piece of wire to rest upon the inside former of the machine. The details of the mechanism thus far described for feeding and cutting the wire are similar to those disclosed inthe Letters Patent No. 1,016,930 to W. H. Borden, to which patent reference may be had for more detailed description of the wire feeding andcutting mechanism.

, Automatic means is provided in the illustrated contsruction for controlling the length of the fastening formed in accordance with the thickness of the work into which the fastening is to beinserted. As shown, the work support 14 is'providedj with a work supporting post 106 to the upper end of which is secured an anvil 108' on which the work may be sustained during the fastening inserting operation. The post 106 is provided withfia rearwardly extending arm 110 carrying an adjustable set screw 112:. The set: screw 112 may beheld inadjustabl'e position by means of a bind-ingscrew 114. The head 12 of the machine is provided with a downwardly eX- tending portion 116- carrying a shaft 118 to one end of which is secured a bell cranklever 120 having a laterallyextending arm 122 carrying at its outer end a stud 124 the head 126 of which lies in the path of movement of the set screw 112 when the work supporting post 106 is moved upwardly to clamp the work. Secured to: the other end of the shaft 118 is a lever 128 (Fig. '3) through the outer end of which passes a rod 130 pivotally connected to a lever for operating the wedge 36 and carrying aspring 132which tends to move the lever 128 and bell crank lever 120 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in I accurately controlled in accordance with the til' Fig. 2; Thcbell crank lever 120 has an up wardly extending arm 134 havingteeth 136 formedthereon arranged to engage teeth formed on a rack bar 138 secured to the ca-r rier5'4.

In operation the treadle32 is depressed by the operator toraise the work sup-porting post 106 and anvil 108 toward the fastening inserting mechanism to: clamp the work against anopposed abutment, which in the illustrated machine comprises a nozzle 140', after which a starting treadle 142 maybe depressed to set the fastening inserting mechanism and work support locking mechanism inoperation. Upward movement of the work supporting post 106 causes the set screw 112 to engage the head 126 of the stud 124 and to move the bell crank lever 120 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, against the action of the spring. 132. Movement of the lever 120 in a clockwise direction causes the carrier 54 to move to the right an amount determined by the angle through which the lever 120' is rocked. as the work support is moved into work clamping position. The

set screw 112 may be adjusted relatively to the arm 110 so that more or less rocking movement may be imparted to the lever 120. Thus, it will be readily seen that by automatically moving the carrier 54 into predetermined relation to the staple forming and inserting instrumentalities of the machine as the work support is moved into work clamping position, the length of a fastening formed may be thickness of a work piece. 7

Having described the invention,- What 'movement of the wire, a work support movable from a work receiving to a work clamping position, means for posltively moving sa1d carrier toward the staple forming instru-- mentalities as'tlie work support is moved into work clamping position to; control the length of a fastening, and means for yieldingly m0v- 7 ing said carrier away from said forming instrumentalities as the work support is lower-ed. 1 v I 2.11 fastening inserting machine having, in combinationpstaple forming instrumentalities, a carrier provided with wire feeding and severing mechanism, said carrier" being movabletoward and from said forming instrumentalities to cause the severing mecha nism: to cut pieces of wire of varying lengths, means controlled by the position of the carrier todetermine the extent of the feeding movement of the-wire, a work support movable from a work receiving to a work clamping position, a bell crank lever connected to said carrier and, arranged by its; rocking movement to shift the carrier,{and means carried the work support and arranged to rock thebellcrank' lever through an angle determined by the position to which the work support is moved to clamp the work whereby the thickness of the work controls the length of the piece of wire to be severed. J

3. A fastening inserting machine having, in combination, staple forming instrumentalities, a carrier pr'ovidedwith wire feeding and severing mechanism, said carrier being -movable toward and from said formin'gin'- bell crank lever to-move the carrier toward the staple forming instrumentalities as the work support is moved. into work clamping position thereby controlling the'length of the fastening inserted.

. 1 :4. -A fastening inserting machine having,

in combination, staple forming instrumentalities, a carrier provided with wire feeding and severing mechanism, said carrier being movable toward and from sa d forming instrumentalities to cause the severing mechanism to cut pieces of wire of varying lengths, means controlled by the position of the carrier to determine the extent ofthe feeding movement of the wire, a work support movable from a work receiving to a work clamping position, a bell crank lever connected 'to said carrier, and adjustable means carried by the work support and arranged to cooperate with the bell crank lever to determine'the position of the carrier relatively to the staple forming instrumentalities to control the length of the fastenings.

5. A fastening inserting machine having, in combination, staple forming instrumentalities, a carrier provided with wire feeding and severing mechanism, said carrier being movable toward and from said forming instrumentalities to cause the severing mechanism to cut pieces of wire of varying lengths, means controlled by the position of the carrier to determine the extentof the feeding movement of the wire, a work support movable from a work receiving to a work clamping position, a bell crank lever connected to said carrier, a member carried bythe work support and arranged to rock the bell crank lever through a greater or less angle as the work support is moved into work clamping position thereby to control the length of the fastenings inserted, and means for holding the bell crank lever in engagement with the member during its "rocking movement.

6. A fastening inserting machine having, in combination, staple forming instrumentalities, a carrier provided with wire feeding and severing mechanism, said carrier being movable'toward and from said forming instrumentalities to cause the severing mechanism to cut pieces of wire of varying lengths, means controlled by the position of the carrier to determine the extent of the feeding movement of the wire, a rack bar secured to said carrier, a bell cranklever having teeth formed thereon meshing with said rack bar, a work support movable from Work receiving to work clamping position, and adjustable means carried by said work support and arranged as the work support is moved into work clamping position to rock said bell crank lever about its fulcrum to move said carrier toward the staple forming means thereby controlling the length of each fastening in accordance with the thickness of the Work. 7

7 A fastening inserting machine having, in combination, staple forming instrumentalities, a carrier provided with wire feeding and severing mechanism, said carrier being movable toward and from said forming instrumentalities to cause the-severing mechanism to cut pieces of wire ofvarying lengths, means controlled by the position of said car rier to determine the extent of the feeding movement of the wire, a rack bar secured tosaid carrier, a work support movable from work receiving to work clamping position, and a bell crank lever having an upwardly extending arm having teeth formed thereon meshing with said rack bar, said bell crank lever having a laterally extending arm which lies in the path of movement of said work support whereby the movement of said work support into work clamping position is efiective to rock said bell crank lever through a greater or less angle to control the length of the fastenings.

8. A fastening inserting machine having, in combination, staple forming instrumentalities, a carrier provided with wire feeding and severing mechanism, said carrier being movable toward and from said forming instrumentalities to cause the severing mechanism to cut pieces of wire of varying lengths, means controlled by the position of the carrier to determine the extent of the feeding movement of the wire, a rack bar secured to said carrier, a work support movable from work receiving to work clamping position, a bell crank lever having an upwardly extending arm having teeth formed thereon meshing with said rack bar, said bell crank lever having a laterally extending arm which lies in the path of movement of said work support whereby movement of said work support into work clamping position is effective to rock said bell crank lever about its fulcrum to move said carrier toward the staple forming instrumentalities of the machine to control the length of each fastening in accordance with the thickness of the work, and means carried by said work support and adjustable relatively thereto to vary the extent of rocking movement imparted to said bell crank lever.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FRED L. MACKENZIE. 

